© West Educational Publishing Gender Differences C HAPTER 13 M ales and females are far more alike than different. In this chapter, we explore what science

© West Educational Publishing

Gender Differences

CHAPTER 13Males and females are far more alike than different. In this chapter, we explore what science has learned about the differences. The causes are not always clear.

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Gender Concepts

Gender Identity

Gender Roles

Gender

Gender Stereotypes

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Gender Concepts

Originally, gender referred to what society viewed as appropriate for males and females. Now, gender can refer to the sex of the person.

Gender Identity

Gender Roles

Gender

Gender Stereotypes

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Gender Concepts

A person’s perception of being male or female

Gender Identity

Gender Roles

Gender

Gender Stereotypes


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Gender Concepts

Widely-held, often inaccurate beliefs about ability and personality traits based on sex

Gender Identity

Gender Roles

Gender

Gender Stereotypes


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Gender Concepts

Culturally-defined roles for males and females

Gender Identity

Gender Roles

Gender

Gender Stereotypes


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The Role of Hormones

Hormones are chemicals that control bodily responses such as emotions, growth, and sexuality.

Males have more androgen.

Females have more estrogen.

Hormones play a lesser role in human development and behavior than they do in animals.

The sex hormones are estrogen and androgen.

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Male/Female Differences

The only activity that is clearly defined along gender lines is reproduction. All other activities are shared by both sexes to different degrees.

Nurturance: Women generally show more empathy, but males can also be nurturing. No one has proven the existence of strong maternal instinct in humans.

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Physical activity: Boys start out more physically active. By adulthood, differences in activity levels between genders have disappeared.

Aggression: Males are aggressive in more situations than females. Females do show aggression in some situations, however.

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Males and females are very close in overall intellectual abilities.

Intelligence

Spatial SkillsSkills involving the ability to imagine how objects would look when moved about in space. Males generally do better though social role, social class, ethnic background, and the type of test given also play roles.

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Mathematical AbilityStudies are not clear and have not as yet conclusively shown that males are innately better at math.

Males do better than females on the SAT math section, but study findings have not been consistent.

Teachers and parents have higher expectations for males.

Females may avoid difficult areas such as math.

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Verbal Ability Includes not just speaking but also word problems, reading and writing. Generally, girls do better than males until early adolescence.

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Social Factors

Self-Confidence In adolescence, females’ confidence often declines

(concerned with how boys will react to them?).

The loss of confidence is highest in whites and Hispanics and lowest in African Americans.

Overall, studies have not found major differences in self-confidence levels between males and females.

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Friendships Boys’ groups usually have a leader, girls

have more equal status in groups.

Boys usually issue orders and demands while girls make more suggestions.

Adult females tend to have a best friend of the same sex while males do not.

Adult females have a few close friends while males have a larger number of male acquaintances.

Females initiate most breakups.

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CommunicationMen Women

Talk more and interrupt more

Touch more Are the ones being touched

Disclose more about themselves

Talk less and interrupt less

Disclose less about self

Boys sit next to one another

Girls sit facing one another

Males offer solutions to problems

Girls share similar stories

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Selecting a MateOverall, the top eight characteristics for potential mate selection are:

1. Social Status

2. Economic Status

3. Physical Attractiveness

4. Personality

5. Intelligence

6. Ambition

7. Character

8. Sense of Humor

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Hormonal Cycles

Only about 5% of women are affected by PMS (premenstrual syndrome).

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Gender Role Behavior

Gender role behaviors reflect what society says are appropriate actions for males and females.

Through identification with a parent of the same sex, people learn how to behave appropriately.

Which jobs are appropriate for males? for females?

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Fathers who are very warm toward daughters tend to produce mild tomboyishness in girls.

Boys whose fathers were absent during preschool years tend to be less aggressive and not as active in sports.

People who are considered mentally healthy tend not to have excessive masculine or feminine qualities.

Children tend to identify with the dominant parent in the household, even across sex lines.

Gender studies have shown

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Fathers are more determined that appropriate activities are given to young male children.

People handle babies differently depending on whether they are identified as male or female.

People will assign different characteristics to babies when they are identified as male or female.

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Mixing Gender Roles

Rigid extremes for gender roles for males and females restrict the full range of human behaviors and emotions.

Androgynous people are high in male and female characteristics.

Androgynous behavior can lead to more flexibility and willingness to share characteristics of members of the opposite sex.

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Gender-Busting Communication Hints (for Males)

1. Do you frequently interrupt females while they are speaking? Try to break the habit.

2. Avoid answering questions with “Nope”and “Yep.” Try to explain more and give some details why you did something.

3. Try to open up on personal issues.

4. Ask for help if you need it.

Can you tell me how to get to . . .?

Can you tell me how to get to . . .?

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1. Look people directly in the eye.

2. If men interrupt conversations, assertively direct the conversation back.

3. Do not over-apologize for your behaviors.

4. Talk more often about current events, less about people.

Gender-Busting Communication Hints (for Females)

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Summary of Main Topics Covered

Gender ConceptsRole of HormonesMale/Female Differences

Intelligence Issues

Social FactorsGender Role Behavior

Communication HintsEXIT

Documents

© West Educational Publishing Gender Differences C HAPTER 13 M ales and females are far more alike than different. In this chapter, we explore what science